Jealous *ON HOLD*

Forever

The sun was starting to set, and a beautiful array of colors illuminated the sky.

"So," Grant said, awkwardly, trying to fill in the silence.

Steph replied, "So..."

We were sitting on Steph's roof, shoulder to shoulder. Steph was in the middle of Grant and me. She nudged him with her shoulder, and he rolled his eyes. Something fluttered in my stomach? Jealousy?

Grant looked at me, past Steph, and said, "I need to tell yo-"

He was suddenly interrupted by Meghan Trainor's "Mom." Sigh. Stephanie's phone manages to pick the perfectest (sue me) times to ring.

She quickly pulled it out and saw it was her mom.

Yeah, because I totally thought that the song literally titled "Mom" was going to be a ringtone for her dad.

"Ugh, I've got to go home because I'm 'grounded' for not getting an A on that history assignment," Steph rolled her eyes. "Remind me to get your help next time, Lain. Anyway, bye!"

"See you!" I replied.

Grant helped me up and said, "I guess we should get going, too."

"Yeah, guess so."

We walked back to his car since we had only taken one car to the beach. This is your chance to finally get him to ask you out! Once we were in the car I finally took my chance.

"So...what were you going to tell me back on the roof?" I queried.

"Oh, um... I was going to ask if y-you wanted t-to work on the project when we get back. After all, it's only 8:30!" I felt myself physically shrink into my seat in disappointment. Damn, thought he was going to tell me the truth about him and Steph and ask me out.

I faked a smile and forced out, "Yeah, sure! Sounds great!"

"Great!"

"Great."

-

When we got back to my house, my brothers started bombarding Grant with questions.

"So...my little sister?"

"Are you going to play her like that other asshole?"

"Are you sure you two will just be 'studying'?"

"Do you have plans to be a father any time soon?"

"GUYS!!" I shouted over the madness.

All three of them turned to me. My face probably looked like a tomato.

"Grant is not Seth. We are just friends. I'm sure that isn't going to change any time soon," I sighed. "C'mon, Grant."

I slammed the door shut but not before I heard Erik yell, "I don't want to be an uncle any time soon!"

"Sorry about them. They can be a bit protective," I sighed.

"A bit?!? I thought my family jewels were about to be cut off all because I wanted to hang out with my best friend!"

I had to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, yes. We can't have your most prized possession removed from you!" I faked sympathy.

"You're so mean to me, Lain," Grant pouted.

I scoffed, "Oh please. The day I'm mean to you is the day I meet Ed Sheeran."

"I'm going to hold that against you," he grinned.

"Whatever."

-

Two hours, fifty-six minutes, and thirteen seconds later, we had gotten absolutely nothing done. Grant kept on teasing me about shit and I kept on giving into his teasing. This is not good.

"Lain, I need to talk to you."

Damn, shit got serious fast.

"Okay, what's up?" I asked nervously.

"This whole thing with Steph that I had going on isn't real. You're the only one that thought that. Seth," Grant said his name with disgust, "knew it was fake. Everyone didn't even know about it. It was just you and Seth."

Okay, woah. This is a lot to take in all at once. Oh, but no, he wasn't done there.

"I only did it because well...I kind of wanted to spite you. You had this whole thing going on with Seth and it made me so...so jealous! At first I had no clue why I felt that way, but then the answer hit me like a truck. I like you, Alaina."

I sat there in shock. I just figured out my two best friends' relationship was fake and that my crush likes me. What was a supposed to do? Pounce on him and make a baby right then? Images of little me's with black hair and blue eyes. Or little Grant's with brown hair and black eyes.

No, Alaina! No babies!

Grant calling my name brought me out of my trance.

"Lain? Lain? Alaina?!? ALAINA LEE BROWN!!"

My full name brought me back to senses.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

Do I look okay to you?!?

"Oh yeah, totally fine."

Not.

"Oh...okay," he said.

Thank the gods. We are finally done with this stupid conversation.

What he did next was something I totally was not expecting.